NIAGARA FALLS: Jayne Park Project pulled

Local News

Related Photos

Dan Cappellazzo/staff photograph
Dan Cappellazzo/staff photograph

March 10, 2010

Consultant rejected, $145,000 heading back to state

By Mark Scheer The Niagara Gazette Wed Mar 10, 2010, 09:01 PM EST

City lawmakers have rejected a request to hire a consultant to work on an improvement project for Jayne Park on Cayuga Island.

Citing complaints about the project from Cayuga Island residents, council members voted against spending $29,780 to hire Peter J. Smith and Co. as project consultant. The proposal was rejected by all five lawmakers.

City Planner Tom DeSantis said the decision means the city will return $145,000 it received from the state as part of a matching grant that was part of the proposed $290,000 Jayne Park restoration effort.

“There will be no further effort to implement the proposed Jayne Park Project at this time,” DeSantis said.

Council Chairman Sam Fruscione said the overwhelming majority of Cayuga Island residents who contacted lawmakers about the issue expressed concern about the city’s plan for Jayne Park. As a result, Fruscione said the council decided it was best to simply move on.

“At this point in time, based on our dealings with residents that live on the Island, they want nothing on the Island other than to have grass cut,” Fruscione said. “At this point in time, the council said it’s done, it’s over with, let’s leave Cayuga Island alone, the nice little place that it is.”

In 2008, the council agreed to accept a matching grant of $145,000 from the New York State Environmental Protection fund to assist in the park restoration. The proposed park updates, which included the addition of comfort stations, a canoe launch and parking areas, are included in the city’s 2001 master plan. Several Cayuga Island residents expressed concern that the project would change the character of the park and the surrounding neighborhood.

DeSantis and Mayor Paul Dyster insisted that residents on Cayuga Island and elsewhere would have been given ample opportunity to offer their input before any changes occurred. DeSantis had planned to develop a formal schedule of public meetings and consultation events once the consultant was in place.

On Tuesday, he said he was disappointed by the council’s decision, but said he would live with it. He said the administration will continue to work on parks improvement projects in other areas of the community.

“We can’t use the grant anywhere else,” DeSantis said. “The grant can only be used in Jayne Park.”

Fruscione said council members knew their decision would result in the return of the grant money but felt it was making the right decision on behalf of the residents. He said lawmakers didn’t feel it was appropriate to accept money for a parks project that wasn’t being supported by the surrounding neighborhood.

“We were all aware that we were working with grant money,” Fruscione said. “Our decision was based on resident input.”

Text Only | Photo Reprints

Local News

Falls cops arrest pot and heroin dealers
February 10, 2012 2 Photos
Staff cuts, large tax increase being considered to fill N-W's $10.M deficit
February 10, 2012
Police searching for jewelry thief caught on tape
February 10, 2012 1 Photo
Child run over be car on Niagara Avenue
Falls Traffic Division investigators said an 11-year-old boy was struck after he darted into the street, in front of a car as it pulled away from a stop sign.

February 9, 2012 2 Photos
Gerber resigns from SPCA board; calls for adding veterinarian to staff
A Town of Niagara veterinarian and long-time member of the SPCA of Niagara Board of Directors has stepped down.
Dr. William Gerber submitted his resignation on Tuesday. It was effective immediately.

February 9, 2012
Militello paid $50K to leave Niagara-Wheatfield
Former Niagara-Wheatfield Superintendent Carl Militello is receiving a $50,000 from the district, according to a separation settlement agreed to on Feb. 1.

February 9, 2012 1 Photo
Joseph Davis State Park gets some green
Officials in the Town of Lewiston received approval Thursday to spend a significant portion of the community’s incoming greenway funds on the redevelopment of Joseph Davis State Park.

February 9, 2012 5 Photos
Has NYPA relicensing agreement led to a revival?
A state senator is calling for an audit of the low-cost power and cash used in the last seven years by Niagara County entities that have shared in the benefits of the 50-year relicensing agreement with the New York Power Authority.

February 9, 2012 1 Photo
Autopsy unable to determine cause or time of Judith Burr’s death
An autopsy by an Erie County Medical Examiner has failed to determine either the time of death or the cause of death of Judith Burr.

February 9, 2012 1 Photo
Search continues for Falls jumper
State Park Police were still searching Thursday for a Falls man who jumped from the rapids bridge at Goat Island on Wednesday morning.

February 9, 2012
More Local News Headlines

Do you think cigarette sales to non-Native American customers should be taxed on reservations?